Using Bark and Splitting Leftovers

[dmmoss51]

I've never thought much of saving the bark... I actually take care to get as much of it off when I split seems that my (red oak) splits dry faster with bark removed as this "skin" was meant to help the tree hold moisture. Since I do most of my spliting in the woods (hydraulic trailer) i leave it where it falls and move on.

 

[bag of hammers]

Mr Whoopee - good idea with the bbq - I have an old unit that might avoid the landfill by doing the same. Dont'cha worry a bit about embers on the deck with the chiminea? btw - i like the deck railing, and your property looks very nice.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Mr Whoopee - good idea with the bbq - I have an old unit that might avoid the landfill by doing the same. Dont'cha worry a bit about embers on the deck with the chiminea? btw - i like the deck railing, and your property looks very nice.

Don't know about the bark that is available to you, but doug fir bark works quite well.
No, I don't worry about embers, very little popping going on and the deck is redwood. Thanks, the railing is California incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), which is fairly rot resistant and grows all over. Going to build the next wood shed out of it.

 

[bag of hammers]

Don't know about the bark that is available to you, but doug fir bark works quite well.
No, I don't worry about embers, very little popping going on and the deck is redwood. Thanks, the railing is California incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), which is fairly rot resistant and grows all over. Going to build the next wood shed out of it.

nice - the details like that are much nicer that stuff built from dimensional lumber.

FWIW - I have mostly sugar maple and yellow birch - my sense is the yellow birch might not work so well - bark seems to stick to the splits even after 2 - 3 years and also seems to have a bit of a not-so-nice aroma when I burn it, compared to other stuff. Maple bark practically falls off the splits and right now I throw most of it at the outside fire pit, so I could try that. Good luck with the wood shed.

 

[MrWhoopee]

nice - the details like that are much nicer that stuff built from dimensional lumber.

FWIW - I have mostly sugar maple and yellow birch - my sense is the yellow birch might not work so well - bark seems to stick to the splits even after 2 - 3 years and also seems to have a bit of a not-so-nice aroma when I burn it, compared to other stuff. Maple bark practically falls off the splits and right now I throw most of it at the outside fire pit, so I could try that. Good luck with the wood shed.

If you're burning the maple bark now, you should have an idea of whether it will form coals or not. That's how I discovered that doug fir bark produced good, hot coals.

 

[Oregon aloha]

I use the doug fir bark in my camp fires all summer. It makes great coals to roast marshmallows.
Gotta keep the grand kids happy.

 

[bag of hammers]

If you're burning the maple bark now, you should have an idea of whether it will form coals or not. That's how I discovered that doug fir bark produced good, hot coals.

I have burned the maple bark in the past but I usually tossed it in with the dog's breakfast of other junk that I'm burning in the firepit (lumber scraps, old half rotten pallets, punky splits, etc.). One time I piled enough rain-soaked bark on top to choke the fire and smoke out half the neighborhood (one of those mild damp stagnant winter days). Fortunately the neighborhood at the time was just me (everyone else gone for the winter). But it did take off after a while. I should try a fire in the pit with just maple bark one day and see how it goes. I suspect I'd get some good coals -I have cooked stuff on a grill using coals raked over from a campfire back in the day, and it worked well, and I have an old bbq that's bound for landfill so I can definitely add this to the list of things to try...